The Final Four -Chapter 2

January 6, 2013 11:23 AM

Photo: Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

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July 4, 2011 | The STS-135, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, wave American flags in honor of the Fourth of July as they arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in preparation for launch. less

July 4, 2011 | The STS-135, commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, wave American flags in honor of the Fourth of July as they arrive at the Kennedy ... more

July 4, 2011 | A grounds crew worker holds up American flags in honor of the Fourth of July as Rex Walheim waves back as he and pilot Doug Hurley arrive in a T-38 jet after landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility. less

July 4, 2011 | A grounds crew worker holds up American flags in honor of the Fourth of July as Rex Walheim waves back as he and pilot Doug Hurley arrive in a T-38 jet after landing at the Shuttle Landing ... more

July 6, 2011 | STS-135 pilot Doug Hurley, left, and commander Chris Ferguson pause to chat with a small group of photographers outside the Shuttle Landing Facility after practicing landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft at the Kennedy Space Center. less

July 6, 2011 | STS-135 pilot Doug Hurley, left, and commander Chris Ferguson pause to chat with a small group of photographers outside the Shuttle Landing Facility after practicing landings in the Shuttle ... more

July 2, 2011 | Jack Hurley, the 17-month-old son of STS-135 pilot Doug Hurley, points to the family television as file video of his father training is shown on NASA TV. The crew of the final space shuttle mission spent the holiday weekend in quarantine in preparation for their scheduled launch. The astronauts can only have personal contact with one designated 'personal contact' until launch. In Hurley's case that will be his wife, fellow astronaut Karen Nyberg, so Jack won't see his father until the final mission has landed. His mom turned on NASA TV where periodically video of the final crew would be shown. less

July 2, 2011 | Jack Hurley, the 17-month-old son of STS-135 pilot Doug Hurley, points to the family television as file video of his father training is shown on NASA TV. The crew of the final space shuttle ... more

July 7, 2011 | A sign counts down the days to launch as tour buses pass in a heavy downpour at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Thunderstorms and an unfavorable forecast for launch day threatened the scheduled final shuttle launch. less

July 7, 2011 | A sign counts down the days to launch as tour buses pass in a heavy downpour at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Thunderstorms and an unfavorable forecast for launch day threatened the ... more

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle

July 7, 2011 | A sign counts down the days to launch as tour buses... Photo-3990839.54752 - Houston Chronicle

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July 7, 2011 | The space shuttle Atlantis sits on a launch pad covered with puddles in a light rain at the Kennedy Space Center.

July 7, 2011 | The space shuttle Atlantis sits on a launch pad covered with puddles in a light rain at the Kennedy Space Center.

July 8, 2011 | NASA astronaut candidate Kate Rubins watches with fellow members of the 2009 astronaut class, their family and friends, as the space shuttle Atlantis launches for the final time. The most recent crop of astronauts, the 2009 class, are the first in three decades with no American launch vehicle in their future. less

July 8, 2011 | NASA astronaut candidate Kate Rubins watches with fellow members of the 2009 astronaut class, their family and friends, as the space shuttle Atlantis launches for the final time. The most recent ... more

July 8, 2011 | Reginald McNair, the son of NASA astronaut Ron McNair who was killed in the Challenger accident in 1983, gets a kiss from his wive Shayla while watching the space shuttle Atlantis launch.

July 8, 2011 | Reginald McNair, the son of NASA astronaut Ron McNair who was killed in the Challenger accident in 1983, gets a kiss from his wive Shayla while watching the space shuttle Atlantis launch.

July 8, 2011 | The trail left by the final space shuttle launch cuts through the clouds above the Kennedy Space Center.

July 8, 2011 | The trail left by the final space shuttle launch cuts through the clouds above the Kennedy Space Center.

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle

July 8, 2011 | The trail left by the final space shuttle launch... Photo-3990847.54752 - Houston Chronicle

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July 10, 2011 | A traditional bouquet of roses is seen in the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center on the day STS-135 docked with the International Space Station. The flowers have been are a tradition from by the Shelton family of Dallas who first sent the flowers in 1988 on the return-to-flight mission following the Challenger disaster and have continued on every mission since. less

July 10, 2011 | A traditional bouquet of roses is seen in the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center on the day STS-135 docked with the International Space Station. The flowers have been are a ... more

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle

July 10, 2011 | A traditional bouquet of roses is seen in the... Photo-3990848.54752 - Houston Chronicle

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July 10, 2011 | The space shuttle Atlantis is seen on monitors in the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center as STS-135 docks with the International Space Station.

July 10, 2011 | The space shuttle Atlantis is seen on monitors in the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center as STS-135 docks with the International Space Station.

July 12, 2011 | While the mission was on orbit, Chief Engineer Frank Svrecek pauses in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at the Johnson Space Center. The laboratory is a skeletal avionics version of the shuttle that uses actual orbiter hardware and flight software, and was slated to be dismantled the day after wheel stop on the final shuttle mission. less

July 12, 2011 | While the mission was on orbit, Chief Engineer Frank Svrecek pauses in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at the Johnson Space Center. The laboratory is a skeletal avionics ... more

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle

July 12, 2011 | While the mission was on orbit, Chief Engineer... Photo-3990850.54752 - Houston Chronicle

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July 15, 2011 | A television image of combined crew of Atlantis and the ISS is seen as Ted Oberg of KTRK television asks a question at the Johnson Space Center during the final shuttle crew news conference.

July 15, 2011 | A television image of combined crew of Atlantis and the ISS is seen as Ted Oberg of KTRK television asks a question at the Johnson Space Center during the final shuttle crew news conference.

July 30, 2011 | Sandy Magnus, STS-135 mission specialist, shops for groceries to restock her kitchen following the final space shuttle mission. The the crew had their share of minor household challenges while they were away: broken lawn equipment, broken water pipes, dead car batteries and flat tires. less

July 30, 2011 | Sandy Magnus, STS-135 mission specialist, shops for groceries to restock her kitchen following the final space shuttle mission. The the crew had their share of minor household challenges while ... more

Aug. 15, 2011 | The crew pulls their luggage after arriving at LaGuardia Airport as the crew pays a visit to New York for a week making public and media appearances in New York as part of a what would become a grueling post flight tour. less

Aug. 15, 2011 | The crew pulls their luggage after arriving at LaGuardia Airport as the crew pays a visit to New York for a week making public and media appearances in New York as part of a what would become a ... more

Aug. 24, 2011 | Sandy Magnus clowns around with Mickey Mouse and Minney Mouse during a visit to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. The crew greeted kids from the East Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club and gave a presentation on the final shuttle mission. less

Aug. 24, 2011 | Sandy Magnus clowns around with Mickey Mouse and Minney Mouse during a visit to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. The crew greeted kids from the East Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club and ... more

Nov. 2, 2011 | The astronauts who formed the crews of STS-1, the first space shuttle mission, and STS-135, the final shuttle mission, pose for a group photo at the Johnson Space Center. The are, from left, Doug Hurley, STS-135 pilot, John Young, STS-1 commander, Robert Crippen, STS-1 pilot, with STS-135 commander Chris Ferguson, mission specialist Sandy Magnus and mission specialist NASA astronaut Rex Walheim. less

Nov. 2, 2011 | The astronauts who formed the crews of STS-1, the first space shuttle mission, and STS-135, the final shuttle mission, pose for a group photo at the Johnson Space Center. The are, from left, ... more